Hell, or something like it
by Bloodi Mari
Summary: Meet Yami: the senior. Meet Yugi: the freshmen. Meet 'the roommates': Marik and Bakura, who will do anything in their power to make Yami's life miserable. look inside for full summary. couldn't fit all of it YY, SJ, RB, MM yaoi?naturally.
1. It begins

**_Summary: Yami's roommates (Marik and Bakura) are intent on ruining his life. When Yami meets Yugi, he instantly falls in love. For the first time since he came to the school he's happy. Obviously, the roommates have a problem with seeing Yami happy and immediately devise a plan to ruin whatever chances he may have had with Yugi. But, will love triumph over all? Or will Marik and Bakura's evil tricks win this war?_**

Is it secret? Is it safe?

The story will probably take a while to get going.

Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh! does not belong to me or anyone I know for that matter.

"What the fuck is wrong with you assholes?" Yami glared at his two roommates; Marik and Bakura. He had had the misfortune of being roomed with these two delinquents since his parents had sent him to this school. Stupid rich bastards, can afford to send him off to private school, but can't afford to spend time with him.

Yami didn't get an answer from his roommates. They couldn't even breathe from laughter, let alone answer his questions. The seventeen year old tapped his foot impatiently, for all the good it would do. Marik and Bakura never listened to him, and why should they? They were both taller and stronger than Yami. The teen pushed a strand of normally blonde bangs out of his face. Although his hair was of many colors, none of those colors included green.

Marik was the first to compose himself; his silver-haired partner-in-crime was still in hysterics on the floor. He was grinning from ear to ear, still enjoying the paint-above-the-door prank. "Hey, there's nothing wrong with us. You were the idiot who fell for it."

"I walked through the fucking door! How the hell did I 'fall for it'?" yelled Yami.

"If you don't watch your language we just might have to punish you." The silver haired Bakura sneered, recovering from his fit of mirth. Yami snarled and pushed his way passed the banes of his existence and grabbed a clean set of clothes and entered the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.

Wrong move.

Marik smirked, "Bakura, would you do the honors?"

Bakura grinned evilly as he pulled out a safety pin. He inserted the pin into the bathroom lock and in moments the door was open. He tiptoed inside, grabbed Yami's clothes, and shut the door noiselessly. Bakura handed the clothes to Marik before he once more broke into fits of giggles.

Yami thought he had heard a click, and now wished that he had listened to his intuition. "Damn it."

The teen's clothes were gone, but thankfully those bastards had left the towels. He grabbed one of the towels off the wall and after drying himself off he wrapped it around his waist. Yami opened the door and peeked out. Marik and Bakura weren't in sight. He crept out and was about to grab anouther set of clothes when he heard sardonic laughter behind him. The adolescent only managed a groan before his towel was ripped from him and he was thrown forcibly onto his bed.

FLASH!

Yami blinked as he was blinded by the flash of the camera held by Bakura.

"You bastards!"

He leapt from his bed, grabbing a pair of boxers that were on the ground and pulling them on before continuing the chase for his roommates, who hightailed it out of the dorm. Yami blushed as he received several whistles, but never slowed his pace. Marik and Bakura were so close...just a bit more...

WHUMP! THUD!

Yami rubbed his throbbing head. What the hell had tripped him? The teen whirled his head around and crimson eyes met violet orbs as Yami saw what had caused him to fall.

"Omigod! I-I'm so sorry! I-I...didn't m-mean to!"

Yami stared at the stuttering boy. He looks just like me...

"I'm really sorry! Really, really, really sorry..."

Still at a loss for words, Yami continued to stare at the boy. He was small, very small, but there was still something very alluring about him. There was something about those giant violet orbs, about that soft complexion. Despite all his best efforts, the teen found himself struggling to breathe as he was lost in the boy's innocent presence.

Yugi couldn't remove his gaze from the teenager he had tripped. He looks just like me, though much bigger. The boy was shaking visibly, barely holding back tears.

"I feel so terrible! I should have been watching where I was going. I-"

His breath caught in his throat upon noticing what the other was wearing. Boxers.

Yami managed to compose himself and he stood up, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "It's alright, you didn't mean to. Here, let me help you with those."

He bent over and began picking up the five pound textbooks that his look-a-like had been carrying. Yami remembered having them his first year and burning them when school was over. Unfortunately for the adolescent, Marik and Bakura had kept those books just to throw at him.

"Oh, th-thank you." The boy managed to smile weakly, accepting the books with open arms.

"What's your name?" asked Yami, hoping that he could see the boy later, when he didn't have two roommates to dismember.

"I'm Yugi Moto."

"I'm Yami Motou. So I'll guess I'll see you later." With that he ran off, forgetting that he was wearing only boxer shorts.

End of the first chapter. In the next chapter I'm bringing in Kaiba and Ryou, maybe Malik.


	2. It finally continues

**Author's notes:** Well, I suppose I'm somewhat sorry for not updating for so long. I just lost interest. Anyway, since I got a review a couple of days ago I've decided to update this one. For once. Anyway, I didn't spend that much time on this chapter, most of it was written 6 months ago, right after I put up the first chapter of this. Well, the Kaiba part was written then anyhow. So, I hope you enjoy reading this chapter and I want **KC** to know that they're the reason this was continued. So if you were waiting for an update you can thank them.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! in anyway whatsoever. Don't I rule?

"I hate them. I really do." It had been three days since the boxer fiasco and Yami hadn't seen anything of Yugi, nor did he want to. It had been three days since his bastard roommates had taken that picture, and in those three days they had taken the liberty to post the photograph everywhere in the school. Yami couldn't turn around without seeing his naked nether regions.

"Hmm." was the response he received from Seto Kaiba. Yami knew the cold brunette didn't care, but he didn't have anyone else to talk to. Joey had a week of detention for some reason, not even the blonde knew what for.

"Thanks for listening." said Yami sarcastically.

"Don't you have somewhere to be?" Seto said emotionlessly, continuing to type on his laptop. He wasn't actually writing anything of importance, typing just gave him something to do while he wasn't listening to poor little Yami.

"You are such an asshole."

"So you've noticed." The brunette let a small smirk pass his lips. "Why don't you go back to your dorm? I'm sure your idiot roommates will listen...while they're feeling you up."

Yami growled. "That's exactly why I've been staying here these three nights! I don't enjoy your company, in case you haven't noticed."

Seto's cobalt eyes left his computer to meet Yami's crimson ones, mock sorrow shining in his cold blue orbs. "That hurts."

"Stop being a prick, or are you too afraid of having friends?" Yami spat, pleased to see that his comment had really gotten under the brunette's skin. Momentary anger flashed across Seto's icy features, it quickly dissipated, however, to be replaced by a sorrowful look. Yami was surprised to see such emotion resonating from Kaiba's usual impassive expression.

"You're right." Seto said, cobalt eyes shining with what looked like tears. "Ever since I was young everyone I've ever loved has abandoned me. I...I guess I'm just afraid of that happening again."

Yami was amazed; he couldn't find anything on Seto's attractive face that hinted sarcasm. More surprised still was he when the other's soft lips pressed against his own. The teen melted into the kiss, thoroughly enjoying the moment. It wasn't everyday that you got kissed by someone as beautiful as Seto Kaiba. Yami whined as the kiss was broken and he opened his eyes to see Seto's thin lips curled to form a satirical smile.

"I can't believe you fell for that. I thought you were smarter." He sneered. Yami growled. "Now get out of here, you're breaking my concentration."

Yami received a firm kick in the behind as Kaiba's long legs connected with his bottom. The former stood up, rubbing his bruising rump, and left the room muttering obscenities the entire way. The obscenities grew much louder as he bumped into something and fell to the floor. "FUCK! COCKSUCKING MOTHER -"

"Yami?"

His words stopped dead in his throat as he gazed into violet orbs. It was Yugi. "I-I..."

"Are you okay?" inquired Yugi, confused over Yami's stuttering.

"I've been better." Yami said, picking himself off the floor.

Yugi smiled, causing the teen to blush. His heart did a flip-flop in his chest.

"That's good. Listen, I..." Yugi began to blush and rubbed the back of his neck. "I was wondering if...if you would like to, you know...uh...go for a walk or something?"

Yami smiled, not believing his luck. There was Yugi, right in front of him, asking him to 'go for a walk'. "Sure."

For a while Yami forgot about the pictures, and his roommates. However, his momentary contentment was called to halt upon seeing a silver haired male standing facing the poster displaying Yami's cough, cough genitalia. Yami's pupils dilated.

"Holy fuck! Run Yugi!" Yami cried, or wanted to. Instead all that passed his lips was a string of gibberish. Giving up on speech, Yami began pushing his look-a-like back towards the hallway they had just come out of.

"Hey, Spikes!"

Yami's heart stopped in his chest, recognizing the voice as Bakura's. _Oh no, _the teen thought, _but how is this possible? I just saw him over there..._

Yami turned, unable to suppress his gasp when the person he had been sure was Bakura was no longer in front of the poster. In fact, he was no where in sight. Needless to say Yami was seriously doubting his sanity.

"Where the fuck are you looking? I'm over here, dumb ass."

_I need to get Yugi out of here..._ Yami thought. He didn't want Yugi added to Marik and Bakura's list of poor souls to torment. He did the only thing he could think of. Bending over, he whispered into Yugi's ear: "Run!"

"Who's the shorty?" Yami glared at Marik and Bakura, the former having just spoken. _How do they manage to do this? They only come at the most inopportune times!_

"Don't say anything!" Yami whispered to Yugi as the roommates came towards them. Yugi of course either didn't hear Yami's advice or he chose to ignore it.

"My name's Yugi Moto. And I don't appreciate being referred to as 'shorty'," said Yugi coolly. Not even Yugi understood where he had gotten this sudden courage. It comes and goes.

"Fine, height challenged, whatever." Marik said, not particularly interested in the little one. His bright, amethyst eyes met Yami's and a slow mocking smile spread across his face. "Long time no see, eh Spiky?"

"Not long enough," growled Yami.

Marik's smile deepened. "So where've you been hiding these past few days? Let me guess: Wheeler's and Kaiba's?"

The crimson eyed teen didn't say anything, or emit any kind of reaction. With Marik and Bakura, it was probably better to stay silent.

Seeing that he would get no answer, Marik spoke again. "So, did you enjoy our art work?"

Yami bristled, cheeks becoming as red as his eyes. _I'll get you guys for this, you fucking assholes._ _You can't stay awake forever..._ Even the mere thought of possible revenge gave Yami a strange sense of satisfaction.

"Hey, Marik, this little dude looks just like Spikes," said Bakura, who had been examining Yugi with his dark gaze. Marik's eyes moved from Yami to his miniature counterpart, who had lost whatever courage he had before and was clutching Yami's hand tightly.

"So he does," agreed Marik. "And it seems he has a crush on our roommate."

Bakura laughed. "Well he can't have him. He's mine!" He exclaimed in a distinctly Otto from _A Fish Called Wanda_ sort of way, grabbing Yami's arm and pulling him down the hallway leading to their dorm, Marik bringing up the rear, leaving behind a confused Yugi.

Yami was quite literally dragged to his dorm, on the verge of kicking and screaming, and shoved roughly into the cramped room. His foot snagged on the carpet and he fell to his knees. Anger coursed through the teen. For him, this was the last straw. With fire burning in his eyes, he leapt from the floor and lunged at the two assholes standing at the door smirking.

The sudden attack caught them off guard, and Bakura was on the verge of passing out from lack of air before Marik could finally pull Yami's hands off Bakura's neck, who then fell to the floor, gasping for air. Yami was thrown to the floor, head smacking into the bed.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Marik yelled, kicking Yami in the side. "He could have fucking died!"

"That was the plan," muttered Yami under his breath. Unfortunately for him, Marik had sensitive hearing and the comment did not go unnoticed.

"What was that?" Marik said, putting his hand to his ear. "Let's see how you like being without air!"

Yami tried to get away, but after hitting his head on the bed he couldn't do anything without sending daggers through his skull. Marik's foot was across his neck, crushing his windpipe, and there was nothing that Yami could do about it. Marik and Bakura had always been stronger, even without having the upper hand.

Yami could faintly hear the door open and a familiar voice before passing out.

**End notes: **Well, that's all I feel like writing right now. It's really short and it took me what? Six months? Go me. Nah, I just didn't feel like writing this story, even though I knew where I was going with it. Oh well, it's up now. But I wouldn't expect another chapter anytime soon.

**BTW: **I'm only including Marik, not the other one. I think I have enough characters to deal with as it is. Anyway, the Marik I'm talking about is the slightly less evil one. The one who's hair isn't as ridiculous as Yami's. The one with that totally gay shirt...


	3. Hey you get off my cloud

**Author Notes:** Yup, so here's another chapter. I actually finished it a lot sooner than expected because in fact I never expected to finish it. But here it is. I hope you like it, it's not that long. Oh, and I switched to the English names, for Joey anyway. I guess that about it. Please review.

**BTW:** I didn't spend very long on this chapter; on writing it and editing it. I read it over once. So there are probably mistakes but overall I think it's pretty good.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! even though it would be pretty cool, eh?

******

_I'm floating on a cloud in the sky...Either I'm dreaming or I've gone totally nuts. But, this feels too real to be a dream...What is going on? The last thing I remember is Marik and Bakura and...Oh my God, am I dead? No, I can't be. Can I? It is very nice up here, and Marik and Bakura are no where in sight. Maybe this is Heaven._

Yami lay back on his cloud, enjoying the warmth. Never before had he been this relaxed, and he only felt a slight regret at being dead. His life had never been a good one; his parents didn't love him or didn't show it, he had always been picked on in school for his non-sense hair, and had only a scattering of friends. It was for them that he felt a pang of sadness. But at least now he would never be bothered by pain or suffering again. Then a crazy idea struck him: _I wonder if I can fly? _He shook his head, telling himself that it was foolish, but there was still that one adventurous part of him that told him to do it; to stop being a fucking pussy and do something potentially dangerous for a change. _Oh what the Hell_, he thought, giving in to temptation. He was already dead, so even if he couldn't fly he wouldn't die or anything. _It's about time I do something exciting anyway_, he reasoned, standing up on his cloud and peering over the edge. There didn't seem to be any ground, but there were clouds. He felt relieved; if he fell he could always just land on the clouds. _Alright, let's do this_. Yami closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and jumped.

            It was truly an exhilarating experience; the wind rushed up to meet him as soon as he jumped, forcing him to open his eyes in surprise. His descent was gradual, but inevitable. It would appear that he in fact could not fly. This was somewhat depressing to Yami, but he didn't care at that moment; all he wanted was to land on another cloud and catch his breath. He righted himself in the air, preparing to land on the cloud directly below him. But wait! What's this? Yami couldn't believe it, his heart jumped in his chest. _He passed right through the cloud!_ He passed through the next few clouds as well, and the farther he sunk, the faster he fell. He was clawing at the air, hoping to catch onto something, but his fingers weren't grasping anything! He looked down and saw the ground rushing up to meet him and there wasn't anything Yami could do about it. Tears stung his eyes as the ground approached him at an alarming speed. Just one minute till impact; 50 seconds; 30 seconds; 10 seconds; 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2...1!

            Yami awoke screaming in his bed, covered in a blanket of sweat. He sat for a moment, breathing heavily, trying to get his bearings. _What the hell is going on? _He was in a hospital room; the lights were off. It took him a moment to realize that it was just a dream, but it had seemed so _real!_ He put a hand to his sweaty forehead. _Man, how much sweat do I have? _He was drenched in it, from head to toe, but there seemed to be a rather concentrated amount at his crotch... _Oh shit_. He had soiled himself! Unbelievable! He looked around wildly for clean sheets, finding nothing. _Dammit! I'm too old to be wetting the bed! And this is a fucking hospital! Shouldn't they have clean sheets?_ The door to his room opened and Yami froze, terrified that it would be Marik and Bakura; they would never let him live this one down.

            He watched unmoving as a nurse entered the room, flicked on the light, and walked towards Yami. She had a kind and gentle face; her eyes twinkled when she smiled. She had clean sheets in her hand which she laid down beside Yami's bed. She faced him.

            "Thank God you're awake!" She said. There was nothing false in her voice and Yami felt at ease with the woman. "You've been unconscious for a few hours, we were really getting worried," she said, taking a towel and wiping some of the sweat from Yami's face. "You see, you were out a lot longer than we had expected."

            "I'm sorry," he said, without even realizing it. He had always been so used to apologizing, whether he meant it or not; somehow everything was his fault. But this time, he was truly sorry to have worried this nurse, and everyone else. Wait, who did she mean by 'we'? He was about to ask her but said nothing upon seeing a strange look on her face.

            She was looking at him quizzically, eyebrow raised. Yami looked away, fearing that he had upset her. But to his surprise she laughed. "It's alright, you goose. What are you apologizing for? You didn't ask to be attacked, and you certainly can't control how long you'll be unconscious. Now, as for your little 'problem'..."

            He followed her gaze to the wet spot on his sheets. He blushed, truly embarrassed. She put her hand on Yami's shoulder reassuringly, saying that it was normal and this sort of thing always happened. Yami seriously doubted this, but it he felt better nonetheless. She helped him out of the bed, telling him to sit in the chair. He objected, wanting to help, but she silenced him.

            "No, you have to rest," the nurse said, gently pushing him into the chair. "I'm not supposed to be doing this but I understand how embarrassing it would be if your friends saw that you had, you know..."

            Yami nodded, sitting down. He watched her take off the sullied sheets, grateful that she was doing this for him. He realized that the 'we' she had been referring to must have been Joey and although he wouldn't have said anything, he'd rather not have the blonde know that he had wet the bed.

            She was now standing in front of the bed, it having been fully stripped down. Her hand was cupping her chin, a sign that she was thinking. Her eyes shifted to Yami.

            "Promise you won't tell?"

            He nodded even though he had no idea what she meant. This caused her to laugh and she winked at Yami. She said, "Don't worry, I'll change it after."

            Yami nodded again, once more without the slightest clue of what she was talking about. She winked again, put her hands under the mattress and flipped it. The wet spot on the mattress was now effectively hidden. Yami now understood what she was saying.

            "It's ok; it's only a temporary solution; just a quick cover-up," she said, and then admitted that she'd done it before.

            Yami nodded. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately. He tried to match her smile, but found himself unable to do so. She had such a jolly smile.

            "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."

            The nurse's smile widened. She nodded, and then got back to work.

            Yami was back in his bed in no time, the nurse was really an efficient worker. The woman patted Yami on the back and told him she'd send in his friends.

            About a minute had passed before Yami would see the door open again and his best friend walk in. He was genuinely happy to see Joey, and he showed it. But the blonde wasn't the only one to enter the room. Behind him, completely unnoticeable except for the spiky, tri-coloured hair, was Yugi.

            Yami had almost forgotten about the little one, who had unwittingly but ultimately caused the fight between Yami and his roommates. But he wasn't bitter or upset about it. He was just glad that Yugi had come to see him.

            Joey talked to Yami the entire time he was in the room; Yugi remained silent, hands resting on the steel grate on the sides of the bed, head resting on the hands. He never took his eyes off Yami. Joey was telling him that Marik and Bakura were going to be expelled for sure, no doubt about it and to not worry. After about twenty minutes, when Joey was satisfied that indeed his friend was alright, he said good bye and left the room leaving Yami with his miniature look-alike.

            They stayed in silence for a minute or two; neither truly knew what to say, or were too afraid to say it. Yugi was the one to break the silence. He cleared his throat, took his hands off the bed and promptly started fiddling with the buttons on his blue shirt, eyes staring at his feet. He did not look up until he was done talking.

            "Listen, Yami..." His voice was small, barely audible. Yami had to strain to hear it. "I'm so sorry! It's all my fault! If I hadn't of -"

            He never finished his sentence because he burst into tears. Yami's crimson eyes widened and he leaned over, placing both his hands on the little ones shoulders, hoping to comfort him.

            "It's all right!" Yami said comfortingly. "It's not your fault!"

            "Y-yes it-t is-s!" He whimpered softly, gazing at Yami with enormous, misty violet orbs. Yami felt a strange sensation in the pit of his stomach.

            "No it's not!" He said louder than he meant too. "It's not your fault I ended up with the roommates I did, is it? I didn't think so. Don't blame yourself, Yugi. It's not your fault."

            Yugi smiled through his tears, causing Yami's heart to melt. The boy was just so _innocent_. Without even realizing he was doing it, Yami had been leaning in closer to Yugi the whole while he had been talking and only noticed at that moment just how close they were. He blushed, sitting back in his hospital bed. For a few more seconds there was silence, once more broken by Yugi who spoke so low that Yami wasn't sure that anyone was speaking.

            "It's just that, that..." He began, trembling visibly. Yami peered at the boy who was trying desperately to regain some composure. The crimson eyed teen smiled, hoping the restore confidence in the lad. It seemed to have worked, for he spoke again, and with more confidence than before.

            "Yami, I- I, well, I likeyou," He said, standing up straighter. He took a deep breath and said, "I mean I really _like_ you."

            Yami's eyes widened to the point where they rivaled Yugi's. Had he heard wrong or had the little one just professed his love for him? He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it when he realized he had nothing to say. Of course he thought the same about Yugi but he still couldn't find any words. Meanwhile the boy had once more become nervous, more so than he had ever seen him before.

            "I-I just remembered I had to do something!" Yugi yelled, unable to control the volume of his voice. "I hope you get well soon!"

            Yugi scurried out of the room, leaving a surprised Yami. _That was weird_... It was only after the boy's receding footfalls had faded from his hearing that it dawned on him.

            "Fuck!" He muttered angrily; he had just destroyed his only chance with Yugi. "Why do I always do this?"

            Yami punched the bed rail causing him to curse and clutch his throbbing hand. He took a deep breath, clearing his mind.

            _He would get Yugi back. He would stop at nothing until he had the little one in his arms._

******

**End Notes:** So that's the chapter. *_Usual blah about liking it. Yada yada yada._* There's not really much else to say but I think I coped pretty well with the changes in chapter 2. You see, I had never intended for Yami to pass out. That was a last minute thing that came about only as I was writing it. I didn't actually have that planned but under that circumstances that way worked best. So that's that.

**BTW: **I will be eternally grateful if you review. 


	4. Hey I know you

**Author's Notes:** So here's the story from A to Z. You wanna get with me you gotta listen carefully. -Spice girls. Anyway, here's another quick chapter. I think I'll spend some more time on the next one, but who knows. I won't be updating anytime soon though, I have other work to do. So I hope this fills you enough.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

******

**_BTW (IMPORTANT): _**_If any of you like Rap/ Hip-Hop music, then I apologize in advance. I sort of, well, alright, I did insult that sort of music. I have nothing against those who like that kind of music, but for the purpose of this story I needed something mainstream that would be on MTV or some other big music channel. And besides, Joey's entitled to his own taste. So with that out of the way, I hope you enjoy what's left of the chapter._

Joey lay on his bed, staring mindlessly at a TV while some rapper made a total jackass of himself while barely clothed women danced around him. The blonde didn't have a definitive taste in music, but he knew what he didn't like. He couldn't understand a word the rapper was saying, though he didn't try very hard. Besides, he already knew what the rapper was on about; sex and women. That's all rappers sung about nowadays, Joey believed. So why was he watching a rap video even though he utterly detested it? Simple. You see, there was a certain tall brunette sitting a few feet from him, typing as usual and quite loudly. Seto Kaiba held the same dislike for rap music and hated the videos for said genre even more. He found them tasteless and nauseating. So naturally it annoyed him immensely when Joey decided to watch rap videos in the same room.

            The video came to an end and a loud, obnoxious DJ came on, blabbering about who knows what. Joey wasn't sure how much more he could take. He stole a glance at Seto, who was putting up a surprising resistance to the music and senseless DJ prattle. Normally Seto would have packed up and left by now, finding somewhere quiet to be. But this time, Joey couldn't detect any signs of annoyance from the brunette. Indeed, Seto wasn't even reacting to the music or video. What was with this guy?

            Then he saw it. Kaiba was wearing earplugs! Crafty bastard. Joey was quite pissed at having been forced to watch and listen to that shit for no reason. He grabbed the remote and turned off the TV, jumping off the bed and standing beside Seto, casting his shadow over the brunette. The blue eyed teen typed a while longer before noticing that the TV was off and that his roommate was standing angrily beside him. He looked up.

            "Yes?"

            Joey reached out and plucked the ear plug out of Seto's right ear, causing the brunette to smirk.

            "So you noticed," he said, taking the left one out.

The blonde felt an overwhelming desire to strangle his roommate's skinny neck. Joey knew very well that Seto had realized that blonde in fact didn't like rap, and was doing it just to bother him. Joey didn't like being tricked, especially by Seto who had acted coldly towards the blonde since they had met in this poor excuse for a school. His fists clenched, but before he could do anything there was a knock on the door.

"It's open!" Joey yelled, annoyed at the interruption. The door open and a spiky appeared in the opening. Joey and Seto gawked at the new arrival. He had the same spiky, tri-coloured hair, but he was much shorter, and had much bigger eyes. The boy stood nervously at the door, glancing back and forth between the two confused roommates. He seemed to have lost his nerve however, and was closing the door when Joey stopped him.

"Hey wait!" He said running to the door and grabbing the boy's arm. "Hey, I know you! _You're Mufasa's boy_ (-ignore that line. I couldn't resist). You're that kid I saw at the hospital."

The boy nodded, a little alarmed. He spoke shakily, "Yes, my name's Yugi."

"Good to meet you, Yugi." Joey beamed, extending his hand to Yugi, who took it hesitantly. "I'm Joey, and this charming fucker with the laptop is Kaiba."

Yugi didn't say anything, but if it was possible his eyes got a little wider. Obviously, he wasn't very used to people swearing, or insulting others. He turned to Kaiba who sat on his bed, legs crossed, laptop set in front of him. Yugi waved, smiling politely. He received only a small acknowledgment from the brunette, who went back to his business.

"Don't mind him," Joey said. "He's an asshole."

Seto glared at the blonde for a moment before continuing his work. Joey shook his head.

"That's all he ever does," he said. "Hey, by the way, how'd you find this room?"

Yugi jumped. He hadn't really been paying attention, and the question had come so suddenly. "Oh, I saw Yami come out of it once... I thought this was his room..."

Joey nodded, "No, but he hangs out here a lot."

Yugi looked at his feet, then back up at Joey. "Has he been here today?"

Joey shook his head, "He's at home right now. His parents came yesterday to pick him up."

"Oh..." Yugi's cheeks coloured, embarrassed. "Sorry to have bothered you..."

The blonde smiled reassuringly. "It's nothing Yugi. Hey, you should come by more often. I think we should be friends."

Yugi smiled, nodding emphatically. "Of course!"

He waved good-bye to Joey, and to Seto who didn't react, and left. The blonde shut the door and turned back to the brunette.

"That was weird..." He said.

~*~*~*~*~

Yami lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. Although infinitely comfier than the hospital bed, he still would rather have been in that bed than his own. He hated his bed, his room, his house, _his parents_. They were a constant reminder of the love he lacked, and the riches lavished upon him to cover up for it. The house was never empty, there were always a few butlers running around, kissing your ass. But his whole life Yami had felt alone. He rolled over on his side, only to stare back at his pitiful form reflected in the mirror. He hated school, but he would have given almost anything to be there at that moment.

            His parents had taken him home from the hospital yesterday, and he doubted that he'd be back in school until next week. Yami knew they didn't care for him, but they always pretended to and thus overreacted as bad actors tend to do. He was fine, there was nothing wrong with him except for sometimes he had difficulty breathing, but it passed quickly. Hopefully the days until his return to school would pass just as quickly.

            And who knows, school might be better with Marik and Bakura gone. They must have been expelled for almost killing Yami. They were probably in Juvenile Hall now, where they belong. Yami relished in the thought of finally being free of those two lunatics. Finally, he could live again, and maybe be happy for once in his fucking life.

            Just maybe...

******

**End Notes:** So that ends that. There's really nothing to it, and I didn't spend long on it. I just really wanted to get it up because I'm really behind on my stories. Yep, so that's about it. In the next chapter Yami's going back to school and the fun will begin.

**BTW:** Please review. It would really make my day.


	5. The Bitch is Back

**Author Notes:** So here's another chapter that took me no time to write. Right now I'm a bit more interested in my Harry Potter fic: The Bet. Anyway, I hope you like this chapter anyway.

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Yu-Gi-Oh, would I really be making up crap about it?

"Hey Yami! Great to have you back," cried Joey, clapping his pointy-haired friend on the shoulder. Yami laughed.

"It's good to be back," he said. And he meant it. Now that Marik and Bakura were gone, he could maybe for once have a moment to himself. He might actually be able to have a life. "Especially with the idiots gone."

"Uh, Yami..." Joey took a deep breath. "There's something you have to know..."

Yami figured it out before the blonde said it. He fainted.

"Yami! Yami, are you awake?"

Crimson eyes opened slowly, gazing hazily at a tan boy with a mop of blonde hair. Joey had been waiting anxiously by the bed, while his roommate stood in the corner, watching from a distance.

"He's awake," he said relieved, straightening himself and looking at Seto, who merely nodded and looked away. Although he hid it well, inside he was relieved. Joey turned away from Seto and back to his friend. "You ok?"

Yami blinked, trying to focus. He muttered groggily, "Yeah."

"You passed out back dere," he said, as if Yami really needed to know that. "W-where am I?" Yami asked, glancing around unseeingly.

"Oh, you're in my dorm," Joey answered. Then said nervously, "We didn' take ya to the hospital wing cuz you just got back an' all. An' it didn' seem too serious..."

It took Yami a moment to realize the wisdom of his friend's actions. Naturally, he was upset at not being taken to the hospital, but he understood that if he was taken to the hospital then surely he would have been sent home again, and he sure as hell didn't want that.

"Thanks Joey," he said, blinking. His vision was clearing up so he was able to see his friend's face. Yami sat up and placed a hand to his forehead, still a little woozy. "How long have I been out?"

"Uh, about twenty minutes," Joey replied, glancing at his watch. "We were gonna take ya to the hospital in ten minutes..."

A moment of silence passed between the three males, as if thinking of what to say next. Yami was the one to break the silence.

"They're back?"

Joey nodded, "Yeah."

Yami stared at his knees, anger rising. "How?"

"Well, ya see," he began, "they paid their way out."

"What!" Yami growled. Seto broke in.

"Your roommates have high-priced lawyer," he said monotonously from his corner. "And what their lawyers can't accomplish, money can."

"No," said Yami, refusing to believe it. Just when he had thought he had gotten rid of them, they came right back. _Why can't they just leave me in peace?_ "No, no, no, NO!"

"Look on da bright side," Joey said quickly, "They're not in your room anymore."

"They're not?" Yami said hopefully, gazing up at Joey.

"No, an' dey're not allowed ta go near you," the blonde replied. Yami turned away from his friend and stared at his knees, turning things over in his mind.

_They're back, but they're not allowed near me. Well, that's something at least. Maybe I'll still be able to enjoy myself. Maybe..._

"Oh, I almos' forgot!" Joey said suddenly, startling Yami out of his thoughts. "Yugi came by look-"

"What? Yugi came by?" Yami jumped off the bed, grabbing Joey by the shoulders; in part because of excitement, in part because of wooziness.

"Whoa, Yami, calm down!" The blonde cried, setting the spiky haired teen back on the bed.

Crimson eyes stared hard at the floor, though they saw nothing. Yami was too excited at the fact that Yugi had come by earlier. _Does that mean that he's not upset?_ Yami certainly hoped so.

"I have to go find him," muttered the teen, jumping off the bed and running out of the room before Joey could stop him.

"Wait, Yami! Oh, fuck it," he gave up, sitting on his own bed on the right side of the room. "Tha' was weird."

Seto nodded.

Yami was racing down the hall, searching for Yugi. Where he'd find him, he did not know. But he would find him, oh yes, he would find him. There were only so many places that boy could go, especially without knowing his way around the school. Yami almost laughed in spite of himself. It was only two weeks into the school year and already Yami had ended up in a hospital, his roommates had been given a restraining order, and he had fallen head-over-heels in love with a pint-sized version of himself. It must be some kind of a record.

Yami was near the lobby now. He was planning on going to the library, hoping that Yugi was an appreciator of the written word. He was just coming into the lobby when he heard a pleasant and familiar voice. Yugi! He scanned the room for the little one and There! by the lobby desk was Yugi, talking to... a girl! Yami stopped, as did his heart. _What is she doing here? Who is she?_ The spiky haired teen backed into the hallway where he had come, watching the two talk.

"It's great that you could come," Yugi said to the girl, "I really missed you, Téa."

"I missed you too," she chirped. Yami cringed at the voice. They hadn't even been formally introduced and already Yami hated the girl. "But as long as we think of each other, we're never truly apart."

Yami nearly puked at the line. _But as long as we think of each other, we're never truly apart_. What was this girl on? However, Yugi did not find this line cheesy at all. He smiled.

"I know," he said.

"You can do anything with the power of friendship on your side," she said. This was too much for Yami to bear. If he had to listen to that girl talk anymore he would have to scream. He was just about to leave when he saw the girl, Téa, bending over. He had to cup a hand to his mouth to keep from screaming as she placed a kiss on Yugi's cheek. _She's moving in on my man! They're not going out, are they?_ Yami's heart broke in two at that moment. Yugi was taken. He backed away from the scene, and trudged down the hall, a broken man. However, if he had bothered to stay just a little longer he would have seen Yugi ask Téa not to kiss him anymore.

**End Notes:** So there's the chapter. I didn't spend long on it cuz I don't care that much about it. Anywho, Téa sucks so there's going to be a lot of bashing. Hurrah! I guess that's about it.

**BTW:** Please review.


	6. Goin to a Show

**Author's Notes:** Yay, another chapter! So far this has been my favourite just cuz there's a band in it. So, I hope you like it too. Ta.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

******

"You wanna go see a band tonight?"

            Yami turned to Joey, who was lying on Marik's old bed. "What band?"

            The blonde rolled onto his side. "White Dragon."

            "White Dragon?" Yami repeated, snorting. "Kind of stupid name, don't you think?"

            "Yeah, but Daren says they're really good," said Joey. "Devon says they sound sort of like Nirvana."

            Yami shuddered, remembering the last time he had met those two. Daren was ok at times, but his little sister Devon was a monster. She was fourteen, loud, opinionated and obsessive. When she wanted something she'd take it, and for Yami that had meant the worst summer of his life. But he did have to admit that Devon had impeccable taste in music. In fact, his taste had been derived from hers.

            "Will Devon be there?" Yami asked fearfully.

            "It's her new favourite band," replied Joey. "What wrong? I thought you like Devon?"

            Yami laughed. "Not even a bit."

            "Well, I'm sure ya won't see her," said the blonde, trying to reassure his friend. "So are you comin?"

            "I don't think I will," replied Yami. He really was in no mood to deal with that insane asylum.

            "Oh c'mon Yami!" Joey said, getting up and standing over his friend. "You bin really miserable ever since ya got back. When are ya gonna have any fun?"

            Yami turned away. It's true, he had been miserable since he had gotten back. More precisely, ever since he had seen Yugi with that _girl_. Téa. Yami cursed her name, her annoying nature. Maybe Joey was right. He really should be having fun right now, not moping around. He should be out celebrating his liberation from his roommates. Reluctantly, he agreed to go to the show.

            "Alright! I'll meet ya here at seven," Joey said, clapping Yami on the shoulder before exiting. "Now I gotta go see if his _highness_ wants ta go."

            Yami laughed at Joey's nickname for Kaiba, though he didn't quite know why the blonde was going to invite him along, especially since Seto would just decline. The brunette was a total jerk, none would agree more with this than Joey, but for some reason the blonde still tried to be his friend, or get along with him. Yami had given up on Seto after their second year in the school, but Joey was still at it.

~~~~~~~~

"Well twist my nipples and tickle me pink!"

            Yami heard the voice he had so dreaded hearing: Devon. He turned around slowly to find her face right next to his, their eyes perfectly level. Yami always found his height embarrassing; everyone was either taller or the same height as him.

            "Hey Devon," he said, willing her away with his mind. It didn't work. It never did.

            "You don't seem very happy to see me," she said, laughing.

            "What was your first clue?" Yami muttered under his breath. Luckily, she didn't hear, or pretended not to. Fights with Devon were not something you wanted, or something you could win. She knew a lot and never gave up, and as for physical fights, - she was unnaturally strong for her height and weight and had been learning martial arts since she was four. 

            "You like White Dragon?" She asked loudly, trying to make her voice heard above the noise. However, as was custom for Devon, she underestimated the volume of her voice and ended up shouting so loud that Yami flinched and the people around them turned their heads.

            "It'll be the first time I'm hearing them," Yami replied, wishing that Joey would come back. He and Daren had gone off to see if they could get some drinks and sneak them into the show.

            "You're gonna love them!" She cried again, once more causing heads to turn. "They sound like Nirvana!"

            "So I've heard," Yami muttered. This she did hear.

            "Great," she said. "But you don't have to be so snippy with me. How was I to know that you knew what they sounded like?"

            Yami said nothing. It was true; there really was no way she could know. He checked his watch. It was passed nine, and the show hadn't started yet. Apparently the lead singer hadn't shown up yet, but the managers kept saying that he was on his way. Yami was beginning to think it was going to be a no-show.

            "Hey, we're back!" Joey said, pushing his way beside Yami. Daren came seconds later, standing beside Devon on the other side. Daren handed Yami a beer.

            "Just something to pass the time," he winked. Yami took the drink, though he had no intentions of drinking it. The spiky-haired teen had always had bad experiences with alcohol, especially when Daren and Devon were involved. "Drink up, lad."

            Yami opened it, aware of the eyes on him. He didn't want to drink the beer, but he knew that if he refused Daren would never let him live it down. He took a sip.

            "Come on, more than that!" Daren prompted. Yami took another sip, then a swig. "There you go!"

            Yami swallowed, grimacing. Beer was such a vile beverage. Daren smiled, satisfied. He handed a beer to Devon. Yami's eyes widened.

            "She's fourteen!"

            "What's you point?" Daren said, taking a swig of his own beer. "She'll be fine."

            "Yeh, quit bein a wet blanket," Joey said, opening his own beer. Yami growled. He really hated it when Joey was around Daren; he always wanted to impress him.

            "This band had better be good," Yami grumbled.

            "They are," Devon assured him.

            All of a sudden the lights dimmed, casting the room into darkness. Cries arose from the audience, though none screamed louder than Devon. The show was about to begin. A sole pillar of light shone down onto the stage, illuminating one person, someone who Yami guessed was the lead singer. The man was tall, with dark chestnut hair, his head bent so Yami couldn't see his face. He wore a long black coat, black top and pants. He was with adorned numerous chains around his ankles, wrists, waist, and neck. He looked amazing.

            Soon other spotlights shone down on the stage, illuminating the other members of the band: two guitarists and a drummer. The crowd cheered louder as the lead singer reached for his microphone without looking up. He drew it close to him and the audience fell silent, waiting for the first note.

            Yami couldn't quell the excitement he felt in him. This was going to be amazing! He also found it amazing that for the first time since he had met Devon, she was silent. He almost laughed, but refrained. The band had started.

            The guitarists played a low, haunting tune, and Yami felt the eeriness of it wash over him. It was a strange sensation. Now the drummer joined in, hitting the bass drum every five beats, creating a pulse. Soon the rhythm became more rapid and the drummer started hitting the other drums, and then the symbols. Yami couldn't help but move his head in rhythm with the beat. But the tall one hadn't started singing yet, and if it was anything like the ghostly tune the others were playing, then Yami was sure it would be amazing.

            Then the music died off, and only one guitarist played. The spotlight on the lead singer grew as the other lights disappeared, casting the rest of the band into darkness. The man had lifted his head slightly, but his eyes were still dark and invisible beneath the shadow. All Yami could see was his mouth. He was about to sing.

            The first note rented the still air, casting everyone into a dazed reverie. The next notes came swiftly, creating a deep melody. The man's voice was similar to Kurt Cobain's, but a tad gruffer. He was singing slowly, lulling everyone into a trance. While he sang the other members joined in, playing their haunting tune softly. Then the drummer pounded on his drums and the guitarists slammed on their guitars, drowning out all sounds. The cries of the audience were barely audible above the music. Then the singer came in again.

            His voice was much louder, angrier, raw. He had both hands cupped around the microphone stand, his long legs two feet from the stand, and he was screaming into it. The chorus ended soon, and the band returned to their passive stage. Yami's heart was racing. This was amazing! The music quickened, increased in volume, and soon the singer was screaming into his microphone again.

            He had removed the microphone from the stand, and was moving around the stage, still screaming into it. He moved to the end of the stage, knees bent, arm out over the crowd. The people swarmed around the arm, feeling him. Devon was one of them. She pushed through the crowd, dragging Yami along with her. The spiky-haired teen was feet away from the singer and he could make out the details on the man's face.

            He had fair skin, though it was now glistening with sweat. Almost an absence of an upper lip, but still beautiful with a gothic sort of appeal. Yami was sure he had seen this man before. But where? Then it hit him. He gasped.

            "K-Kaiba!"

            The singer didn't notice Yami and kept the performance going. Yami couldn't believe it. Kaiba, in a band! What this even possible? He had had no idea that the brunette could sing, or even do an amazing performance like this one. Seto had always been such a stiff! But he was in a band! And how had he not seen it before? How had he not noticed that it was Kaiba singing?

            "I have to tell Joey," Yami said softly, hardly keeping in a laugh. Devon noticed him leaving.

            "Hey, where are you going?" She cried, grabbing Yami by the arm. He shook her off.

            "I have to tell Joey something," he said. "I'll be back."

            He was lying though; he had no intentions of coming back. But she seemed to buy it, or didn't care, and went back to cheering for the band.

            Yami couldn't find Joey or Daren, and this worried him. Daren often had insane ideas, and he was afraid that he convinced Joey to partake in said idea. But luckily as the last song was being played he caught sight of them in the corner, unharmed. He pushed his way towards them.

            "Hey Yami!" Joey yelled, seeing his friend approaching. He was obviously drunk, swaying back and forth. Daren had been drinking too, but he wasn't yet drunk.

            "How much did you drink?" Yami exclaimed, catching the blonde before he fell. Daren came closer, a big doofish grin on his face. "Both of you?"

            "Not much," Daren replied. His speech wasn't garbled, which was a good thing. But Joey didn't look so good.

            "C'mon, I'm taking you home," Yami muttered, wrapping his arms around Joey to keep him from falling. He turned to Daren. "Can you go get Devon?"

            "What's the big hurry?" Daren smirked arrogantly.

            "Please, I'm taking Joey home now," Yami pleaded.

            "Why? He's fine!"

            "Look at him! He's almost passed out!" Yami yelled, gaining himself a few stares. He sighed. "You know what? Stay here! But I'm taking Joey home."

            Daren's eyes widened. "But you can't do that! You're the ride! How are we gonna get home?"

            "You're a smart guy, figure it out!" Yami sneered, turning around and dragging Joey with him. Daren growled and chased after Yami.

            "Wait! Go put him in the car, I'll go get Devon," he said angrily. "God, you're such a bitch."

            "Whatever," Yami muttered, dragging Joey away as Daren searched for his sister.

            It was as crowded outside as it was inside, even worse actually. By now most of the people were drunk or high, or both. Yami pushed his way through the crowd, but finding it very hard to do so, especially with Joey in his arms. He eventually made it to his car, exhausted. He put his hand in his pocket, searching for his keys. His heart stopped when he found that they weren't there. He propped Joey against the car, searching through all his other pockets for the keys. No good.

            "Shit! Shit!" He exclaimed. He looked up at the sky. "Why do you hate me?"

            "Cuz you're a bitch!"

            Yami turned to see Devon and Daren. Both looked pissed. Especially Devon.

            "I was going to meet the band, you bitch!" Devon cried. Yami couldn't help but that think that that had been his third time that night being called a bitch. He was beginning to believe it. "How many times do you get to meet a band?"

            "I take it not often?"

            "You're damn right it's not often!" She yelled.

            "Please, let's just go home," Yami said, forgetting he didn't have the keys.

            "No! I hate you!" She screamed.

            "And you won't be going anywhere without these," Daren said, taking out some keys and jingling them right in Yami's face.

            "My keys! Give them to me!" He cried, reaching for them. "Where did you find them?"

            "You dropped them back inside. You're lucky Devon was there to pick them up." Daren replied, keeping the keys out of Yami's grasp. "Now you owe her."

            Yami sighed. "Would it help if I knew the band?"

            "You don't know the band," Daren said disbelievingly.

            "I know the lead singer," Yami replied. Devon's eyes brightened. "If I could get him to speak to Devon, will you give me the keys back?"

            Daren turned to Devon, who nodded. "Alright," he said. "But if you don't deliver I'll break your legs. And I'm not joking."

            Yami nodded, taking the keys back from Daren. He unlocked the car, opened the back door and shoved Joey onto the seats and then proceeded to the driver's side. Devon hopped in the front seat, leaving Daren to push Joey's legs off the back seat so he could sit. Yami started the car.

            _Note to self: never go anywhere with these two again._

******

**End Notes: **And so ends another chapter. Ahaha. Anyway, Marik and Bakura will be back at some point, but I haven't yet decided when. But they'll be back. So, please review and I'll have another chapter up as soon as I feel like it.


	7. Mornin Remy

**Author's Notes:** Alright, so here's another chapter. I wrote it really fast and didn't really check over it cuz I never do. Anyway, I hope you like this one though nothing really happens in it. Oh and to:

**Seren147:** Thanks for reading my fic. You're actually one of the reasons that I put this chapter up. Normally, I have really no desire to write except when someone reviews. Since you reviewed recently I figured that I should finally get another chapter up. So thanks for getting me motivated. Oh, and as for Joey and Kaiba as a couple, I wouldn't have it any other way. Joey and Kaiba are my favourite Yu-Gi-Oh! coupling, so of course I would never leave them out. But since this story is about Yami, I couldn't very well have them fucking in the first chapter (though I really wanted them too...), but rest assured, there will be some Seto/Joey yaoi, maybe even a lemon...

**BTW**: I changed the dorm layout a bit. I doubt anyone will notice, cuz I only referenced it once and not very clearly so yeah. But I figured I should put this little note in, just in case someone does notice and is a little confused. Though I doubt anyone will care. I don't.

**Right,** I'm not putting a disclaimer in.

_Wake up, sleepyhead. Wake up..._

Yami grumbled, opening his eyes slowly. Immediately he knew something was wrong. The room was out-of-focus, distorted. It was a deep purple, streaked with yellow. _What the hell..._ Yami blinked, but the same scenery appeared before him. He tried to roll onto his side, but found himself incapable of movement. Yami's breath caught in his throat. He struggled to move his limp limbs, but no matter how he tried, his body still refused to move.

"I'm paralyzed!" He yelled, his voice filled with fear and dread.

"No you're just tied to the bed."

Yami's head whipped in the direction of the all-too-familiar voice. Marik. And, to his side, was Bakura, twirling a roll of duct tape around his finger.

"W-what are you doing here?" Yami stuttered.

"You tell us," Marik replied. "This is your dream, after all."

"Now just shut your eyes," Bakura said, stepping towards Yami, unrolling the duct-tape. "This will all be over soon."

Marik and Bakura cackled madly as the duct-tape was placed over the crimson-eyed teen's mouth. Yami couldn't scream.

Suddenly Yami was sitting bolt upright in his bed, drenched with sweat, breathing heavily. He looked around the room wildly, assuring himself that he was in fact in his room, _alone_. He saw no one. Yami placed a hand to his heart, feeling its erratic beating. He exhaled and fell back onto his pillow, still breathing deeply. He closed his eyes, trying to relax. But even with the Marik and Bakura threat over, his mind would still not let him relax. The dream had opened up the door for other anxieties, like getting Seto to agree to a chat with Devon. Why had he promised that? _Because you needed to get her into the car_, his brain answered his own question. As much as Yami tried to convince himself that that had been the only way, he still continuously kicked himself for promising it. How could he possibly deliver? Seto listened to no one, especially not Yami. And although Seto had never actually met Devon, he had heard far too many horror stories to want to meet her. But Yami still had to try, otherwise he'd never have peace again. Devon would make sure of that.

The crimson-eyed teen rolled out of bed, bringing his blankets with him. He stood up, untangling himself from the sheets. He grabbed his robe off his bedroom door and slipped it on, yawning as he opened the door and entered the main area. On the other side there were two doors, two doors he felt he would never open. They led into Marik and Bakura's old rooms, and although they had both been emptied, Yami still feared what he would find there. And besides, Yami had plenty of space without making use of the two bedrooms. Turning away from the two rooms, he walked towards the exit.

It was 8:30 am on a Saturday, and so Yami saw nary a soul as he walked towards the lounge. No one was ever up this early, which suited the crimson-eyed teen just fine; he wasn't in any particular mood to deal with many people. The coffee stand was open however and Yami saw two students buying coffee. They paid the man and left, heading for the lounge, sipping their coffee. Yami felt around in his robe pocket for money. His hand closed around a five dollar bill and he thanked God that he kept money in his robe pockets. He bought a regular coffee, not in the mood for anything fancy. He put the change in his pocket and strode into the lounge, sipping the piping hot liquid. His eyes scanned the room for an ideal spot. There were only a few students sitting around a coffee table, chatting. They reminded Yami of a television program he had seen only once. He couldn't remember the name, but it had been funny. His eyes roamed the near empty lounge and came to rest on a sunny alcove in the far corner. Sitting at the table, sipping an espresso and reading a newspaper, was a lone figure: Seto Kaiba. Yami's heart jumped. It was often said that Kaiba wasn't as pissy in the morning, and Yami hoped that this was true and not just an urban legend.

He walked quietly over to the alcove and sat down opposite Seto, who looked up from his paper as Yami sat down. The crimson-eyed teen, muttered 'hey' and smiled slightly. Seto nodded, grunted a greeting, and went back to his newspaper. Yami stayed silent for a moment, contemplating what to say. Then an idea struck him. He started humming one of the songs he had heard at the concert. Yami noted the way Seto tensed, but continued reading the paper. The crimson-eyed teen smiled, and started singing the words to the song softly. This Seto couldn't ignore. He looked up, dread blatant in his eyes.

"Will you stop singing!" Seto growled, trying to appear annoyed, rather than fearful.

Yami smirked. "Oh, sorry. That song has been in my head since I heard it last night at a concert, oh what were they called..." Yami paused, pretending to forget the name of the band. "Oh yes, White Dragon."

Seto visibly blanched, his eyes widening in shock. "Y-you were there?"

Yami bit his lip to keep from laughing. This was the first time he had ever caught Seto off guard, and he was loving it. But the point of this conversation was not to get the better of the cold bastard, but to fulfill a promise to Devon. Yami nodded. "So was Joey, Daren and Devon. You remember Dev and Dare, don't you?"

Seto turned away from Yami, staring out the window. His eyes were still the widest Yami had ever seen them. In fact, a little wider and they'd rival Yugi's. Yami pushed that thought aside; he didn't want to be thinking of his miniature look-a-like. Yami continued.

"Well, you've never actually met Devon, but you've heard of her, haven't you? Of course you have, everyone has." Yami said, answering his own question. "Anyway, Miss Devon has heard of you too, and is simply _dying _to meet you." He emphasized 'dying'. "White Dragon is after all her favourite band."

Seto stayed silent for a moment, then finally found words to say. "What do you want?"

Yami smiled. "You have to meet Devon."

Seto's eyes flew to Yami's. "Not a fucking chance in hell."

"You don't have a choice," Yami said. "Judging from your reaction when I told you that I had been to the concert, you don't want people knowing that you're in a band. If you don't meet with Devon, everyone's going to know."

Seto stayed silent, his eyes seething with anger. He turned angrily from Yami.

"Oh, one question," Yami said. "What's with the name 'Remy Lebeau'?"

"It's a stage name."

"I know that," Yami snapped. "But why'd you choose that name?"

Seto continued to stare at the floor. After a moment he replied. "Did you ever watch X-men as a child?"

Yami nodded. "Yeah, I loved that show. But what does that have to do with anything?"

"Do you remember Gambit?" Seto asked, seemingly ignoring Yami's question.

"I don't see what this –"

"Just answer the question," Seto ordered.

"Ok. Gambit, he was the one who threw the cards right?" Yami said.

Seto nodded. "He was my favourite. His real name was Remy Lebeau."

Yami snorted. "So in order to keep your true identity a secret, you named yourself after a superhero. How cliché."

Seto stood up, making to leave but Yami stopped him.

"Are you meeting with Devon?" He persisted.

"An autograph," Seto said. "Nothing more."

"And a hug," Yami added.

Seto shook his head. "No."

"You don't have a choice," Yami said. "She's going to jump on you as soon as she sees you."

Seto frowned. "Fine, as long as you don't say a goddamned word to anyone." He started to leave, but stopped. "And make sure the puppy doesn't say anything."

Yami nodded. "Don't worry. He was piss drunk; I don't think he remembers shit." Seto turned again. "Oh, Kaiba!"

The brunette stopped. "What?"

Yami approached him. "By the way, you were very good at the concert."

"Thanks," Seto hissed, hiding his pleasure at being complemented under a layer of hostility.

"No problem, Remy." Yami quipped, running passed Seto before the brunette could smash him.

**End Notes: **Yep, so that's the chapter. Small note about this story: Kaiba going to be my bitch. Well, not really. But he's probably going to like some of the things I do so expect some Metallica references later on. I've already made him sound like Kurt Cobain and his favourite X-men is Gambit (he's is the coolest of the X-men, then it's Wolverine). And I'll probably really fuck with Kaiba later cuz it's fun. Anyway, there was something I was going to say... Dammit. Whatever. I think I'm going to bring Yugi back into the picture for next chapter, though I'm not particularly looking forward to it. Hey... I haven't dealt with Marik and Bakura in a while... Their story still needs to be explained. Hurrah! I don't have to put in Yugi! As you can see, I'm not particularly fond of that little whelp.

**BTW:** Thanks to all my reviewers. Love ya lots. Keep'em comin my pretties.


	8. Under the Tree

**Author's Notes:** Alright, there are probably a lot of mistakes in this chapter but I wanted to get it up before I forgot. I tried reading over it but me brother kept bugging me and writing 'ass' so if you find a random ass in there somewhere it's cuz he put it in and I didn't notice or I didn't have a chance to delete it and then forgot. So if there are mistakes you can blame it on me brother. Also, I threw in a bit of random yaoi. Well, I suppose that's it for now.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!

The next day Seto and Yami drove down to a small diner in the town near their school. Seto had insisted on Yami coming along as he had absolutely no intention of meeting Devon by himself, or letting the crimson-eyed teen off so easily. If Seto had to suffer through an encounter with Devon, then so would Yami.

They pulled into the parking lot and Seto turned off the ignition. He turned to Yami.

"Five minutes," he said. Yami rolled his eyes.

"Oh no, I wouldn't dream of keeping you away from your computer any longer," he said sarcastically.

Seto glared at him. "I'll leave."

"No you won't," Yami said, jumping for the keys. He knocked Seto's hand out of the way and pulled them out of the ignition. He pushed the door opened and jumped out before the surprised brunette could recover and retaliate. Yami slammed the door and took a few steps away from the car. Almost immediately the driver's door opened and Seto stepped out, looming over his green Jetta. He put his elbows on the car, folded his hands, and rested his forehead on them. He took a deep, calming breath and lifted his head.

"When we go back to the school," he said, "I never want to see you again."

Yami smirked. "Fine."

Seto stood up, shut his door and strode around the car, joining Yami who pointed the keys at the automobile and locked the doors by pressing the button on the key chain. Seto snatched the keys out of Yami's hand and stormed towards the diner's entrance. Yami snorted and followed.

Ryou sat peacefully in the shade of a tree, reading a book, sipping iced tea he had purchased from one of the small vendors around the school. He had undone several of the buttons on his shirt and folded his pant legs up in an attempt to cool himself down. The day had started off cool, but by the afternoon it had heated up substantially. This didn't bother him much, however, sitting under the tall maple. The other students were finding ways to cope with the heat; some were wearing tank tops, others unbuttoned-button ups, t-shirts, and there were even a few which had given up on upper body wear and had decided to go topless. Some of these were the boys playing basketball a stone's throw from where Ryou sat. Periodically, the white-haired boy would put his book down and watch them play. He found it quite amusing that every time he looked up one or more of the boys had taken their shirts off.

The first to take their shirts off were a silver, spiky haired boy and his blonde, dark-skinned friend. Just by looking at them, Ryou could tell that they were best friends. They had moved seamlessly together to score the first basket, cheered the same way by mocking the other team, and then executed a rather long and complicated hive five/hand shake. After the other team scored almost immediately after, the two had nodded to each other with smirks on their faces and taken their shirts off, tossing them to the side. Ryou had gasped when he had seen their chest; they were both perfectly defined if a little skinny, and glistening with sweat. Generally, Ryou didn't find sweat appealing, but in this case it was incredibly erotic. The others would later remove their shirts, but none would match the first two boys.

He put his book down, watching the end of the game. He saw the blonde one grab a towel from the bench and wipe his face and chest with it. He then passed it to his silver-haired friend while he grabbed a water bottle and squirted some of it into his mouth and then onto his face and chest. He tossed the empty bottle to the side and grabbed another one, handing it to his friend who tucked the towel into his shorts and took the bottle, doing the same routine as the blonde. They moved back onto the court, stretching their arms. They crouched into a ready position, their eyes watching the ball, but still keeping track of the other players. Ryou felt his heart quicken pace as the ball was tossed into the air and knocked back into the waiting hands of the blonde who immediately took off down the court. He passed the ball to one of his teammates who dribbled it to the right corner before passing it back to the blonde waiting for it in the center. The latter jumped, caught the ball in midair and tossed it around his back to the silver-haired teen who jumped, caught the ball while passing underneath the net and, reaching around, dunked it into the basket with one hand and held onto the rim with his other. He put his other hand landing triumphantly on the ground. He ran cheering around the players congregated by the net and jumped on his friend, who supported him with his right shoulder and arm.

"SUCK THIS, MOTHERFUCKERS!" The silver-haired teen yelled, motioning with an obscene gesture.

Ryou, who normally would be offended by such language, found himself smiling at the teens' shameless antics. They mocked and berated the losing team who shamefully left the court, muttering angrily amongst themselves, while the rest of the winning team stood behind the two boys. Moments later the blonde put his friend down and began rubbing his shoulder. Ryou watched dreamily as the two strode from the court, stretching and giving Ryou a very nice view of their muscular, tattooed backs flexing. They bent over and picked up their discarded shirts and were putting them on when the blonde one stopped. Ryou froze; the blonde was looking right at him! The teen elbowed his buddy, who stopped putting his shirt on and followed the other's gaze. They glanced quickly at each other before shrugging and heading towards Ryou.

The white-haired boy picked up his book and pretended to read, hoping the two teens would take the hint and leave. He concentrated harder on the book as a pair of Reeboks and Nikes stopped in front of him.

"You liked our little show?"

Ryou recognized the voice as the blonde's. His heart jumped and he could feel the blood rush to his cheeks. He mumbled an apology, his mouth forgetting to articulate. He glanced up at the two and bit his lip to withhold a gasp.

The two boys were standing above him with their backs to the sun, light radiating off their sinewy bodies. Ryou's mouth opened and closed, yet no words would come out, though he really had nothing to say, never being very good at small talk – or any kind of talk for that matter. Ryou had always stuttered around people he didn't know very well and around these boys Ryou's heart raced even faster, and he wasn't entirely sure it was because he was nervous.

Ryou saw movement out of the corner of his eye, and for a moment he thought the boys were leaving but then he felt someone sit down next to him and another crouch in front of his bent legs. His hands tightened on the book and he stared harder at the words, hoping the two would become bored and leave. He felt a fingertip move up his side and a cool breath against his ear. He squeezed the book harder and nearly tore a page out. Another pair of hands moved up his stomach and chest, resting in the material of his partially opened shirt. Ryou looked up and staring back at him were the dazzling amethyst eyes of the blonde.

"W-what are you doing!" The boy gasped breathlessly. The blonde smirked but did not answer, running his hands down Ryou's bare chest, unbuttoning the buttons as he encountered them. "Please, ST- Ahh!"

Ryou sighed as he felt a cold, wet tongue slide across his ear lobe. He whipped his head around to where the other was sucking on Ryou's lobe. He opened his mouth to talk but was quickly silenced by silver-haired boy's tongue. Ryou groaned gently as the tongue roamed his mouth, running along his own. He felt the other's hand slide across his neck and into his hair, gripping it. Meanwhile, the blonde was gently kissing Ryou's chest, occasionally letting his teeth graze the white skin, his hands busy undoing the zipper on Ryou's pants…

"WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?"

The three boys' heads jerked up sharply. Standing with his hands on his hips a few yards from them was the Vice Principle of the school; his face was tomato red from a mixture of anger and embarrassment. He glanced around quickly, noticing that everyone had stopped to stare at him. He cleared his throat and pointed at the boys. "You three, come with me."

The three stood up, Ryou grabbing at his pants as they slid off his waist. He hurried to zip them back up as a few of the other students snickered amongst themselves. He stared at the ground, hiding his face. Only when they had entered the school did he dare look up.

The other two boys stood with their backs straight, and their heads held high, shamelessly strutting down the hall following the VP. Ryou marveled at their confidence, but he also found it annoying. He pulled at his hair –something he often did when nervous. Already in the first month of school he was in trouble –and with the Vice Principle! Ryou had only been to the Principle's office once before, a few years ago, and he had cried.

The VP stopped in front of his office door and motioned for the two others to enter. To Ryou he said, "Stay here," he pointed to a chair just outside his door. "I'll deal with you later."

Ryou gulped, fighting back tears. He watched soundlessly as the blonde and silver-haired teens strode into the office and the VP closed the door behind them. He was alone in the hallway, his legs were shaking and his eyes were misting over, but he would not let himself cry. He sat down in the chair and stared straight forward at the opposite wall.

Fifteen minutes later the door opened again and the two teens stepped out, grinning. They were followed by the VP who had gotten even redder in the face. He wordlessly motioned for Ryou to come in and a fresh wave of dread washed over him. He felt the tears welling up inside of him. With his head down, Ryou shuffled into the room, biting his lip to keep it from trembling, his heart beating wildly. _Oh god, oh god, oh god…_

He heard the door click and Vice Principal came and sat down at his desk. He pointed to the seat and said: "Please, sit down."

Ryou sat quickly, missing the chair and sitting on the armrest. He quickly corrected his mistake, sliding into his seat, eyes staring at his feet. His eyes began to mist over and soon his feet became a blur.

"This is your first year here, is it not?" The VP said.

Ryou nodded, not trusting his voice. The Vice Principal gave a slight nod that Ryou didn't see.

"I would have expected better behavior from a first year," he paused. Ryou sniffed. "Public displays of affection are prohibited –especially _that_ kind of affection…" His face reddened and he cleared his throat. "You will receive three days detention, and I hope this will teach you a lesson."

Ryou nodded as his shoulders began to tremble. The Vice Principal peered at the boy, surprised. His fingers played with a paper on his desk, uneasiness sweeping over him. This was the first time a boy had ever cried while in his office, and he wasn't sure how to deal with it. He nervously began tearing at the corner of his paper as the boy's shoulders continued to shake, and now he could even hear some faints sobs and a glimmer on what he could see of the boy's cheeks. The VP glanced anxiously around his desk and noticed a box of tissues. He picked up the box and handed it to Ryou, who took a tissue and wiped at his eyes hidden beneath his bangs.

"Uh…" The VP began timidly, "Why don't we, uh, just forget this whole thing? You've learned you're lesson, haven't you?"

Ryou's shoulders immediately stopped shaking. He glanced at the VP, as if asking for reassurance.

"Go." The Vice Principle said. "Just don't do it again."

Ryou nodded incredulously, and backed slowly out the door.

Meanwhile the VP was sitting behind the desk, very much surprised with the way the encounter had gone. But how could he have acted otherwise? The boy was crying, for Christ's sake. As much as he tried to act tough, he had a heart of gold and he was ill prepared to face a crying boy. He put a hand to his forehead and sighed.

"William, my boy, you're too soft," he muttered to himself.

**End Notes:** So that's the chapter for ya. Hurrah! Anyway, I hoped you enjoyed it and I'll try to get another one up soon but I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you. Anyway, please review. Ta.

**BTW:** I know the whole "Under the Tree" sequence was pretty random but I figured I should throw in a bit of action cuz this the eighth chapter, I think, so by now there should be a bit of bang for you buck. So yes, if it's too random for you, sorry, but I couldn't think to do it any other way that was interesting. That is all.


	9. Mother of Pearl!

**Author's Notes:** BTW, I've totally forgotten what the next step in this story was, so I'm going to be kicking myself later. It's really not as if you need to know this, but you don't need to know that I have to brush my teeth neither and I'm telling you all the same cuz I'm just that wacky. Hey, do any of you kids watch _Witch Hunter Robin_? Man, that show just got crazy… Right, so to get back on track: It's a real shame that I hadn't gotten around to writing this fic earlier, I really felt like it. But I didn't want to update this fic before _The Bet_ (my Harry Potter fic), and I'm having a bitch of a time with that one. I wrote myself into a corner, except not really. I have so many options open to me, but I just can't get the door open. Fucking locked doors. Yeah, so right about now, those who are reading this have become victims of my insanity… I taste chemicals... I hope there was nothing wrong with that toothpaste. So I totally died my hair purple yesterday (December 17). Um… So there's really nothing else to say –though there wasn't really anything to say in the first place.

**IMPORTANT This** is the longest fucking chapter I have ever written for this story and practically nothing happens; I just couldn't shut myself up. So I hope this is interesting to you readers and if you don't like the length of this chapter, be heartened, I don't plan on writing any more like this unless that is what the people want. So that's it then.

**Disclaimer:** If Yu-Gi-Oh! belonged to me, it would be infinitely better.

Seto tripped on the door step as he entered his dorm, exhausted. Usually he remembered to lift his foot up higher when he stepped into his room, but after his meeting with Devon, he couldn't remember anything. It was a wonder he still knew where his room was. Seto was an unhappy mixture of astonishment and confusion. Never before had he met anyone like Devon, nor had he ever thought in his wildest dreams there could actually be in existence someone like Devon –surely God wouldn't allow it? But alas, Seto had thought wrong and now he was certain that demons walked among us.

"Wheeler?" Seto called out, checking for his roommate. There was no reply. _Good_, the brunette thought. He wanted to be alone; he'd had enough human contact for one day… Actually, make it five days.

He ran a hand through his hair as he walked tiredly to the red couch and flopped down, groaning contently as the comfort of the couch overwhelmed him. Despite his will, his thoughts wandered back to 'the encounter', or so he was calling it. He kept seeing Devon's face alight with excitement and admiration and, in Seto's mind, something akin to insanity. All he saw was her mouth moving at a startling rate, the words all fusing together to form some strange and terrifying language that only she was privy to. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Yami trying to hide a smile as he sipped his coffee. Seto's own coffee had touched his lips once and was now cooling on the table. His hands rested on the table, his knuckles white. How much time had passed while he was in this state of shock and unfamiliar terror? He didn't know. He vaguely remembered muttering random responses to her questions, but for the most part she spoke about anything and everything at great lengths. At the end of 'the encounter', Devon hugged Seto again –Yami had been right; Devon did jump on Seto the first she saw him. The brunette, too tired to resist, also let her kiss him on the cheek. Yami had said his good-byes to Devon as well; however she seemed too preoccupied with the singer of her favourite band to care about anything that Yami did for the moment. The crimson-eyed teen had appeared emotionless, though inwardly Seto knew that he was positively delighted and that his vindictive pleasure had been satisfied. He would hold this moment of triumph forever.

Seto felt ashamed at being affected so by Devon. After all, she was just a girl, and Seto prided himself on being emotionless and untouchable. Why had she made such an impact on him? He would never know, but she had, and Seto felt like she had taken something from him. Yami knew Seto was weaker and more vulnerable than he would like him to think. Of course, Yami had always suspected, or would like to have believed, that the brunette wasn't made of stone, but now it was confirmed and Seto was sure he would take advantage of that and hold it over his head for a long time.

Seto exhaled, putting his right hand to his head and letting it slide down to his cheek, his fingers splayed across his eyes. _A shower_, he thought,_ that's what I need_:_ a shower_. Seto stood up slowly from the couch and reached into his pocket for the key to his door. He unlocked the door and pushed it open.

Contrary to popular belief, his room was a mess. Shirts, pants, underwear, socks –all of it- littered the floor in a senseless pattern, here and there a patch of hardwood. The bed was unmade, the sheets and blankets bunched up at its base. Displayed on shelves, tables, any flat surface were millions of collectibles ranging from Nightmare Before Christmas figurines to Lord of the Rings, to fancy daggers and other gothic items from his dark days. Posters and magazine cut-outs covered every inch of the wall –Metallica, Guns'N'Roses, Led Zeppelin, the Doors, every kick ass band that ever was. Just about the only thing that wasn't in total disarray was his C.D rack that ran from the floor to a foot from the ceiling, nearly full. On the top were old Queen records, Aerosmith, the Rolling Stones, ACDC, the Cure (though he had never been a big fan) and various others –whatever he could get his hands on. His CDs were neatly stacked and not a speck of dust lay on them. The two bottom shelves were stacked full of DVDs: Velvet Goldmine, Party Monster, SLC Punk, Quills, Spirited Away, Interview with the Vampire, every film directed by or starring or having some affiliation with Quentin Tarantino, a good many of Tim Burton's movies… and Dude, Where's my Car?. This was his secret life, the side no one expected of him, and the side he felt he had to keep hidden.

He took off his shirt and tossed it to the floor, adding to the clutter. He closed the door and looked into the mirror on the back of it. Seto had always been a narcissist, yet very insecure. He loved to look at himself, but he went to great lengths to like what he saw. Seto was ashamed about what he had done to attain his goal, and he told nary a soul, but in the end he thought it was worth it. He traced a finger along his rippling abs. Yes, definitely worth it.

Seto yanked his gaze from the mirror. He reached into his drawer for a pair of boxers, then for a pair of pants. Seto never wore a shirt while his roommate wasn't in; he loved to catch the reflection of his finely toned chest in shiny surfaces. He walked towards the bathroom, shutting the door behind him, though not tightly enough. The door opened a crack. Seto, with his back turned, did not notice. Nor did he notice when the clean pair of boxers fell out of his hand and onto the floor. He entered the bathroom and shut the door, locking it. He dropped his clean pants on the toilet, his dirty clothes on the floor. He adjusted the faucets until the water was steaming hot. Despite his cold exterior, Seto couldn't stand cold things.

Joey had woken up at 9:00 am, and that was early for him. A wacky idea had struck him, and instead of rolling over and going back to sleep, he got up out of bed and strode into the main room of the dorm. Seto's door was closed, as usual. Joey had never seen inside the brunette's room, and the mystery of what lay inside nagged at Joey's mind until he couldn't stand it and he'd try to open the door, but Seto had a sixth sense about these things and he'd always walk in just as Joey put his hand on the knob. The blonde was sure that there was a lock on the door now, but he had never been able to work up the nerve to try and turn the knob since Seto had kicked the crap out of Joey the last time. Well, it hadn't been much of an ass-whoopin'; Seto had just punched the blonde, dragged him to the door by the hair and, quite literally, kicked him out of the room. It had been late at night, and Joey was quite sure the brunette was smashed because in the morning when Joey slipped timidly into the dorm –he had spent the night sleeping in the Early Birds' Lounge (this is the same lounge that Yami met with Kaiba two chapters ago) - Seto had looked at the blonde's face with something that may have been surprise and said:

"What happened to you? Lost a fight, perhaps?"

Joey hadn't said anything, unsure whether the brunette was reminding and taunting him about last night, or if he couldn't remember what he'd done and was just being a jackass. Either way, Joey was sure he didn't want another confrontation like that. It was more traumatizing than anything else.

But today he was feeling sassy and courageous. He strode toward the door, sure that Seto was not inside; he had heard movement earlier, around 8:00 am, he believed, and knew it must be Seto. It had woken him up only briefly before he had fallen back into Dreamland. Joey never saw his roommate in the morning, except on Wednesday when they both had Phys. Ed at 8:30 in the morning. Joey would be just stumbling out of his room and Seto would be sitting on the couch, fully dressed, his bag at his feet and breakfast would be waiting for him on the table. Seto of course would have already eaten – or wasn't planning on ingesting food until after gym, if at all. Joey appreciated his roommate's kind gesture, however surprising it may have been. It gave the blonde an extra boost in the morning, knowing that maybe, just maybe, Seto was beginning to consider Joey as a friend. The blonde would prefer it if Seto actually ate with him, but you can't ask for the world.

What unnerved Joey the most, however, more than the random act of kindness new to this year, was the amount of food Seto was ingesting, or not ingesting. Joey hardly ever saw the brunette eat anything, but then again he might just not eat in front of the blonde. But still, Joey was worried. He remembered that back when he had first met Seto at fourteen, the two had been the same height and roughly the same weight, the brunette being slightly heavier, oddly enough. Since then, they had both grown –in Seto's case, a lot- and had lost weight –once again, in Seto's case, a lot. Joey had been really worried about Seto that year. Even after the boy's growth spurt, he was a little heavy and Joey knew that it greatly upset him. He noticed that the brunette was eating less and less and was exercising regularly and strenuously. Joey would come into the dorm and Seto would be passed out on the couch. Joey would quickly go to his side, but the brunette would push him away. He was becoming skinnier and skinnier, unhealthily so. Joey would also find the bathroom door locked, and a towel shoved into the tiny space between the floor and the door. Joey at first didn't know what that meant, but then he realized that Seto was soundproofing the door. Then the day came at the end of the year when Seto collapsed in the middle of math class. It was summer and the heat was intense. Everyone believed that he fainted from heat exhaustion, but Joey knew otherwise. Of course, he would never say anything –to Seto, or to anyone else. He had hoped that one day the brunette would finally confide in him and let it all out. Two years later, Joey was still waiting.

The blonde pushed these thoughts out of his head; they weren't worth thinking. Seto was the healthiest and happiest that Joey had ever seen him, which was rather pathetic if one thought about it, but Joey never did. As strange as it sounded, Joey liked Seto the way he was, and now that he wasn't potentially starving himself, throwing up, slitting his wrists, abusing certain substances, Seto was easier to talk to and be with. His mood swings had more or less subsided, which meant that maybe Joey wouldn't get smacked if Seto walked in as the blonde was trying to open the door. Maybe.

Joey's hand hovered above the knob, his heart racing. He listened for footsteps or the door as Seto entered the dorm. He heard nothing. All was quiet. Joey rested his hand on the knob and tensed, expecting to be struck down by lightening or something. Nothing happened. Joey's hand tightened on the knob and his heart beat faster. He slowly twisted the knob and… locked. Joey exhaled and let his hand flop beside him. Some part of him was strangely relieved. As much as he wanted to see into Seto's room, he wasn't sure he was ready for it. His mind had created such an elaborate and impossible image of Seto's room, that Joey was afraid that seeing the actual room would destroy its mystery and intrigue. As odd as it sounds, Joey was afraid of being let down.

Joey sighed and muttered, "Oh well." He looked back at his own door, wide open, which is how he always left it unless he was within. Joey was struck with the strange idea of closing it. He knew it would accomplish nothing, seeing as how Seto had already seen inside everyday. Still, Joey felt like being mysterious, maybe tempt Kaiba to open the door and then he'd be able to catch _him_. Foolish thoughts, these were, but Joey had never been one to care about being thought a fool. And so, after getting changed into jeans and a T-shirt, Joey closed his door without him actually being inside and left the dorm.

Twenty minutes later, Joey found himself tired and bored out of his mind. Nobody of interest was up at this hour –nobody he was interested in anyway. There was a reason he never left his dorm before ten at the ABSOLUTE earliest. So, at 9:20 he found himself back at his dorm. The door hadn't been closed properly and was slightly ajar. Joey didn't remember leaving it like that and he hoped to God that Seto hadn't been by; otherwise the blonde would be in for a series of reprimands and insults.

_Don't be a fool,_ a voice in Joey's head said,_ if Seto had been here, he would have closed the door and then shouted at you_.

Joey knew these words were true and so he entered the dorm calmly. He made sure to properly shut the door behind him. He walked towards the couch but stopped dead. Seto's door was slightly ajar, just as the dorm room door had been. Joey blinked. _Is this really happening? Did Seto really leave his door open?_ It seemed almost too good to be true. _Here's your chance, Joey, go for it!_ His voice told him. Joey hurried towards the door, not even stopping to think that Seto may be within. From the corner of his eye the blonde saw a dark blue lump lying on the floor and he stopped. He knelt to the ground and looked at it, unable to recognize what it was. He picked it up and almost cried out. They were boxers, Seto's boxers. He stood up, the undergarments still in hand. Why he didn't just toss them to the floor, Joey didn't know and he never tried to figure it out. He was in front of the door now, his hand raised, fingertips pressed against the wood. Just one push and the mystery of Seto's room would be revealed. Joey bit his lip and pushed.

Seto turned the shower faucets and the water flow stopped. He slid the glass shower door open and grabbed a towel from the rack. He wrapped it around his waist as he stepped out of the stall. He wiped his hand across the foggy mirror, clearing a patch. His hair was a dark brown and hanging in front of his deep blue eyes. He wondered if he should let his hair grow out a little. He was beginning to like longer hair, and since he was in a band he could probably pull it off too.

Seto took the towel from his waist and started drying himself off. He picked up his clean pants, expecting the boxers to fall out. They didn't. Seto shook the pants. Still nothing.

"Shit," Seto murmured. _They must have fallen when I was carrying them…_He looked at his dirty clothes and contemplated putting those boxers on, but quickly thought better of it. After all, he had just gotten himself clean. Putting on dirty boxers would be kind of counterproductive. Instead, he decided to wrap the towel around his waist, go back to his room and find the boxers. He'd deal with his other clothes later.

He opened the bathroom door and stepped out. His skin was still a little damp and was glistening slightly in the sun from the large window in the main room. Seto turned towards his door. It took him a few moments to realize that the door to his room was wide open and, standing in the doorway looking in, was Joey, holding a pair of Seto's boxers in his hand. The brunette almost screamed.

Joey heard a door open behind him and froze, afraid to turn around. He was in for it now. He didn't know how Seto would react to Joey actually _seeing _inside the room. The blonde bit his lip and turned. He gasped. Seto was standing half naked with only a towel tied loosely at his hips to cover him. Joey had only caught glimpses of Seto's chest in the past; nothing like this. He was seeing Seto's body full on, with nothing to hide it. Of course, it didn't help that Seto was glistening in the light. Joey felt his heart racing, and it wasn't entirely from fear of being caught.

"S-Seto, I," Joey stuttered. "You left the door open!" What else was he to say? Seto simply stared at him, surprise giving way to anger. Joey started shuffling towards his door, adjacent to his roommate's.

Seto moved towards Joey menacingly. The latter shuffled faster, hoping to get inside before he was pummelled. He didn't make any quick moments lest he prompt the burning brunette to attack. Joey reached his door and opened it but Seto jumped and closed it, narrowly missing Joey's hand, which rested at his side now, its twin doing likewise. Joey was up against the wall, Seto's wet, sinewy body practically pressed against his and the brunette's smooth, muscular arm over Joey's shoulder, holding the door shut. Joey stared up into the brunette's eyes that, if they changed colours, would be a fiery red from fury. Seto was a few inches taller than Joey, and in this position with the brunette leaning over him, he seemed ever the more tall.

"I don't ever want to catch you in my room again," he said in a low, growling voice, "Did I make that clear?"

As he was saying this, his face was coming gradually closer to Joey's, whether by accident or just in attempt to appear more menacing, Joey didn't know. But, by the end, Seto's lips were a mere two inches from the blonde's. Joey's heart flip-flopped and butterflies were fluttering in his belly. He wasn't entirely sure what was going on, but it sure wasn't unpleasant. Seto's eyes were locked onto his, and Joey could see the same confusion in them that were in his own.

Seto suddenly closed his eyes and looked away. "Just stay out of my room." He took his hand off the door. He looked down and saw Joey holding his boxers still and snatched them out of his hand. But as he did this, the towel came undone and fell to the floor, completely exposing the brunette, who turned completely red.

Joey froze, watching as his roommate grabbed his towel and hastened to cover himself, but not before Joey had a good look. Seto caught the blonde's surprised gaze on him and blushed even more. He opened his mouth to say something witty, but nothing would come out. Instead he just turned on his heel and hurried into his room.

Joey watched the retreating form of his roommate and couldn't help but smile giddily. When the door was slammed shut, Joey slid to the floor, a hand to his mouth. That had been the single oddest experience in his life.

**End Notes:** I told you this was a fucking long chapter. Really though, I just couldn't shut myself up even when I really wanted to. I think it's the hair dye getting into my brain. I can't think anymore man. Oh well, purple hair is cool. Well, it's a deep burgundy that looks purple. I just hope I can get away with it in me school. It's run by a bunch of conservatist assholes. Right, so that's that, and I hope you liked this chapter.


	10. Library: a place where literary and arti...

**Author's Notes:** Yeah, so after many a long month (about six?) I have finally updated. Yippee. Terribly sorry to all my readers. I truly meant to update sooner but circumstances being what they were... whatever, I just couldn't write, and I really tried. But, here is the chapter anyway. I spent absolutely no time reading it over so it's probably quite horrid but that's just my opinion and I hate everything I do regardless. I'll let you decide.

**To all my dear reviewers:** There comes a time in every author's life when they profess their eternal love for the readers of their writings. Or maybe I'm just crazy. Either way, I would like to express my immense gratitude for those noble reviewers. Right now I must sound like a complete idiot but seriously, I've got an average of 8 reviews per chapter and that's the best of any of my stories. It's for you noble reviewers that I keep this up. So, once again, thank you all.

**Important:** There are few things in this chapter that require explanation and they are numbered like so (-1-). So just check the end notes for their explanation. There are three.

**Disclaimer:** I am not affiliated with Yu-Gi-Oh! in any way.

sometimesidoubtyourcommitmenttosparklemotionsometimesidoubtyourcommitementtosparklemotion

Yami watched, grinning maliciously, as Seto trudged sluggishly towards his room. The meeting at the diner had gone better than expected. Seto was thoroughly miserable and questioning the existence of God, and for once Yami hadn't been the victim of Devon's insanity. Sure, he'd feel bad except for with all that Yami had endured of the brunette's cold and mocking behavior, he felt that Seto had gotten exactly what he deserved. They were even now.

Once Seto was completely out of sight, Yami check his watch, 9:10. It was too early for Joey too be up and about, but he wasn't in any mood to go back to sleep –he was far too awake. Instead, he stood in the middle of the foyer, contemplating his next move. Then, all of a sudden, Yami heard a voice call his name. He whipped around to see Yugi running towards him. Yami was brutally reminded of the betrayal he felt because of the little one, and his good mood and feeling of triumph of Seto dissipated and he was left with a cold emptiness. He turned away from the boy and began walking away.

Yugi stopped running, confused by Yami's behaviour. "Yami?"

Yami stopped, turning around. "What?"

"Well, I was wondering if you wanted to -"

"I'm busy," Yami interrupted, voice cold. "Why don't you go ask your girlfriend?"

"My wh-" Yugi said, but was once again interrupted.

"Bye Yugi." Yami snapped, hurrying away, not wanting to look at the little one anymore –it hurt too much.

Ryou strode down the aisle, staring up in amazement at the high shelves, stacked endlessly with old, dusty books covering every topic imaginable. His chocolate, doe-eyes shone with excitement; this was the most incredible library he had ever seen! Ryou had always been in love with the written word, and he viewed libraries as the ultimate source. No matter what happened to him, no matter how hard life was for him sometimes, Ryou could always find solace in a library among his friends, the books.

The library was a strange convergence of old and new; in fact, half the library was old and the other half new. When the school expanded the library, they didn't see it necessary to redo the already existing library. The new part was defined by hardwood floors and Ikea-esk furniture. The ceiling was made of glass panes, and ball-shaped lights hanging down from the roof. Ryou was currently in the old half, which he preferred. There were more books in that part, and less people. Ryou didn't like company in libraries; no one truly appreciated their majesty.

The books on the top shelf were accessible by a sliding ladder that reached all the way to the top. Ryou gave it a slight push; it slid with ease. A small, mischievous smile grew on the boy's face: dare he? Ryou put his foot on the bottom rung (is that he word?) of the ladder and, despite his better judgment and profound respect for libraries, he pushed with his other foot.

The ladder moved surprisingly fast despite its size. Ryou smiled giddily. The ladder was almost at the end of the aisle when all of a sudden a figure –his face in shadow due to the poor lighting - appeared at the end. Ryou's foot shot to the floor, slowing down the ride, nearly knocking him off as his shoe gripped the carpet and held. The boy's heart was racing, and he felt ashamed. He knew he shouldn't have been playing on the ladder and he'd been caught! He began to apologize when the figure grabbed him by the shirt and shoved him into the shelf. Ryou let out a pitiful whine.

"Shut up. That didn't hurt you." A voice growled.

Ryou's heart stopped. He recognized that voice. He whined louder.

"Fucking shut up! You sound like a goddamn six year old who just dropped her ice cream," Bakura hissed. "And don't you fucking start crying!" He warned, seeing Ryou's eyes start to glisten over. But Ryou couldn't control it –he never could.

"Please leave me alone," the boy whined piteously. "Please…"

Bakura sighed, placing a hand on Ryou's cheek. He tilted the boy's head upwards so their eyes met. "Look, I'll be _gentle_," he snarled slightly as he said the word, "If it'll get you to stop crying."

Ryou blinked, saying not a word. He hiccupped slightly. He was a little unsure of what Bakura meant, but he had a pretty good idea. And surprisingly enough, the thought didn't scare him as much as it should have. In fact, he was kind of excited, which scared him even more.

"Are you gonna stop crying?" Ryou nodded. "Good," Bakura whispered, pressing his lips onto Ryou's.

The boy stood completely still, body rigid. What was he to do? He had never kissed a guy before –or anyone for that matter. Part of him was opposed and horrified by the idea, but the other part was screaming at him to give in. Bakura had one hand holding the back of Ryou's neck, and the other holding the boy's hand (-1-), which was strange, but as well comforting. After a moment, Bakura broke the kiss.

"Will you please _move_? It's like I'm making out with a fucking coat rack(-2-)." He grumbled. Ryou made a small noise of fright and indignation and made as if to say something but Bakura interjected. "Forget it," he mumbled, throwing his arm around the boy's shoulder and leaning in for another kiss.

Ryou relaxed a little into Bakura's embrace. The horrified side of him was fading fast –he was more stunned than anything else. He reached his free arm –the other being held still- around and grabbed onto the back of Bakura's shirt. The latter, seeing his window, pressed himself more into Ryou and pushed his tongue into the boy's throat. Ryou moaned as Bakura's tongue swept across his and he felt himself melt into Bakura's arm, his legs becoming jelly. Bakura broke the kiss.

"C'mon," he said, nipping at Ryou's jaw. The latter made a slight noise that could have been interpreted many ways. Bakura took it as a 'yes'.

He let go of Ryou's hand and, arm still around his shoulder, led him through the old library to the balcony almost invisible to anyone standing in the new section. He pushed Ryou into another bookshelf and ran a finger along the boy's jaw. Without saying a word, he slid his hand down and grasped the back of Ryou's neck as he leaned in for a kiss. Bakura kissed him tenderly, almost teasingly, but as his free hand began to undo the buttons on the boy's shirt, Bakura became rougher.

Ryou tightened his grip on Bakura's blazer, trying to mimic the silver-haired teen. He didn't know what else to do, having never made out with anyone before. He tried to slip his tongue into Bakura's mouth, but the other's tongue overpowered it. The kisses were becoming brutal and Ryou felt he was being completely dominated… and he liked it. Bakura broke the kiss and began kissing down Ryou's jaw and neck, stopping at the nook where the neck meets the shoulder. Here he bit down softly, and Ryou gasped. Bakura's lips pressed against the spot, and Ryou could feel the other's teeth grazing the skin, but nothing more.

Feeling Bakura's hands on his lower back, pushing their waists together, Ryou decided to take some initiative and began unbuttoning Bakura's shirt, all of which the latter found very amusing. He bit down hard on Ryou's neck, forcing the other to cry out in surprise. Bakura lifted his head, meeting Ryou's eyes. He smirked, chuckling softly. He leaned in to kiss him again, sliding off the boy's shirt, baring his shoulders. Bakura gripped Ryou's arms and led him to a nearby table, pushing him onto it. He finished taking off the boy's shirt and tossed it aside. It landed right on top of the horrified librarian's feet.

"_What_ do you think you're doing?" She screamed. Ryou's head shot around and his face turned beet red. Bakura merely backed away from Ryou, meeting the librarian's eyes with a bemused smile.

As the only female staff member in the entire school, the librarian, Karen Findlay(-3-), took it upon herself to uphold morality in the school, believing the men incapable of doing so. She was detested by the entire school –faculty and student body alike. She was incredibly religious, and made a point of telling every boy with slight homosexual tendencies –which was just about everyone in an all boys school where girls were virtually viewed as something found in movies and books- that he was committing great acts of sin against the Lord and that they were going to be punished for it unless they repented.

"Hey Findlay," greeted Bakura. "How've you been? Still talking to that God fellow?"

Findlay inhaled deeply, face turning red, lips pursed. "Young boy," she said dangerously, "I will not tolerate this disrespect from you. Have you no shame? Committing these acts of sin –and where anyone can see!" She reached down and picked up the shirt at her feet, holding it up. "It's despicable!"

Ryou lowered his head, deeply ashamed. He never acted like this, ever. Meanwhile, Bakura was on the verge of cracking up.

"Oh, we're so sorry. We didn't realize..." He said, placing a hand over his mouth and looking away to keep from laughing. He grabbed onto Ryou's arm. "We'll go straight away to a priest and confess our sins."

Bakura walked up to Findlay and clasped a hand to her shoulder. "Thank you for showing us the error of our ways."

He grabbed the shirt out of her hands and started walking away, dragging Ryou with him. But Findlay was not done yet.

"You boys… You mock God and now you mock me! I will not stand for this!" She sputtered. "Get out! You're both banned from this library!"

"Ah fuck," Bakura grumbled. The library was his favourite place to defile people. "For how long?"

"Forever! Get out!" She screamed, pointing down towards the stairs.

The two left the library. Once out, Ryou broke into tears. Bakura stared at him, horrified. "What the fuck…"

Ryou glared at Bakura, eyes bright with anger. "This is all your fault!"

"_My fault_? I didn't hear you complaining." Bakura said, slightly irritated at the boy's outburst. "And fucking relax. We just got kicked out of the library. She's not gonna tell William (AN: the VP, remember? Bakura and Marik refer to faculty by their first name except for Findlay) if that's what you're bitching about."

"That's not it!" Ryou screamed, not caring who William might be (he wouldn't know the VP's name). "Just leave me alone! I don't ever want to see you again!"

Bakura was taken about. "Now wait a goddamn second here," he said, pulling Ryou towards him. The latter pulled away roughly.

"Fuck off!" He yelled, taking them both by surprise. Ryou ran off down the hall, leaving an astounded Bakura.

"What the hell -" The silver-haired teen muttered. He shook his head. "This is the last goddamn time I go for the boy with the multiple personalities. Jesus Christ," he grumbled, starting off to find Marik.

sometimesidoubtyourcommitmenttosparklemotionsometimesidoubtyourcommitmenttosparklemotion

**End Notes:** So that's the chapter. I truly hope you enjoyed it and I hope I did not disappoint you. Anyways, something I didn't mention in the **Author's Notes** is that indentation and all that symbol gibla doesn't show up anymore, I've decided to try something different. I'll be using quotes to separate the beginning and end notes from the story itself. This particular quote is from _Donny Darko_. Brilliant movie. Also, some things that need to be explained.

(-1-) – Two of my friends would hold hands when they made out. I don't know if they still do it, and I never noticed it, but it was pointed out to me. I thought it would be kind of amusing to slip it in there.

(-2-) – I needed an inanimate object to compare Ryou with, and I thought a coat rack would be quite amusing for myself and those who know me (even though none read my stories. I rather they wouldn't, actually). To explain, there was a guy I really liked who reminded me of the coat rack in _The Beauty and the Beast_ (the one who was styling the Beast's hair. I do believe he had a top hat). Anyway, he was since known as the coat rack. Right.

(-3-) – Right, the librarian at my school is named Karen Findlay. Originally, the librarian in this fic was supposed to be based off of her but I didn't want to go into too great about her because she's really irrelevant to the plot. I might bring her back in, but who knows. Anyway, so the real Findlay is a mega bitch so I thought I should name the librarian in this fic Findlay because she too is a mega bitch. It just seemed fitting.

Right, so that's all then. I'll try to get the next chapter up as soon as possible, but no promises. Exams are starting soon and I'm royally fucked. Yay!


End file.
